Blood Pack
by Braioch
Summary: A retelling of sorts. There's a new addition to the village that came a bit after the nine tails attack. Now he's living, fighting, loving and Kami knows what else next to the whole crew. M for later chapters, Yaoi, Kiba/OC


_Alright, I finally managed to get this prologue all wrote up and ready to be put out after being Beta'd as well (which gives credit to being MoshiMoshiQueen ^_^) The name of the fanfic came from a friend's mind, and I thought it was fitting. So here's the prologue and here's hoping the first chapter soon follows ne? _

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto nor any of the characters from said show/manga, sad as that is because there would be more Kiba involved...amongst other changes .. Oh I don't make any money and what not from this either.

Just the sight of him reminds me of the first time I laid eyes on him…the first day he came to this village, the place I have called home for decades. For some odd reason it was a time that stands out in my mind, despite the fact that time flows together for me. A long life has given me this ability, curse or gift as it might be. Four years after the loss of the Fourth, I returned to watch over the Leaf Village, which was almost completely destroyed by the battle. We had recovered remarkably well, having buried and mourned the dead and then pulled together and built it back. We brought back the pride of the village in its commitment and unity. We had been dealt a powerful and deep wound, but we stood tall and proud, and showed all that it wouldn't be near enough to stop us, nor destroy us.

It was at this time that I would find myself on the edge of the village during one of my normal walks. I found the walks invigorating and inspiring. I would remind myself of how the village looked years ago and how much we had healed and grown stronger since the big battle. It was like watching a wound heal bit by bit, with all the villagers running around, wood, paint and other supplies on their backs and hammer, nails, tools of all sorts gripped in their hands. Guards were placed all around to watch for any danger that might try to take advantage of our weakened state. Things were less productive today because of the rain, but a majority of the work had been completed. A fuss suddenly broke out at the main gate and I saw several guards were communed to deal with an issue.

My attention was caught by the commotion and I couldn't resist overhearing (perhaps eavesdropping if you view it as such). It might have been concern or perhaps just curiosity that drew me to the small cluster of guards. They seemed to be arguing amongst themselves. In the middle of the group was a small child, around the age of five. He was coated in mud and bruises and his filthy and hurt body was barely covered with rags. The boy was staring defiantly at the ground and his body was shaking not with fear, but from the cold. One of the guards lifted his head, noticed my presence, and immediately called out to me.

"Lord Hokage, sir!"

I nodded and adjusted the pipe in my mouth. "Why are almost all of my Northern wall guards watching over one small child?"

They looked down quickly in shame before one spoke up, "This is no ordinary child, sir! He must be a demon in disguise. He took out two of us. Clean and clear knocked them right down! If we didn't have reinforcements who knows what would have happened!"

I cocked my head to the side and puffed gently on my pipe before speaking, "Two of them, you say? Interesting. Very interesting. Has he said anything yet?"

The one who had previously spoke looked down at the ground, "Nothing worth repeating sir...or at least nothing I would like to repeat in your presence, sir."

My brow rose slightly. "That well-mannered, hmm?"

He nodded curtly and continued, "We managed to subdue him, but not we were wondering what to do with him. As I said before, he took out two of us before we were even aware of his presence. He is a threat, but he is also still a child."

I paused, but before I could reply I heard the young boy's voice. It was heavy and sharp with contempt, "Only because they attacked me before I could explain, bakas."

When I turned to put my gaze on him, he automatically snapped his head back down. He looked up briefly to glare at the guards. I could practically hear him calling them idiots. It made my chuckle inside. I wondered what he would have done if I hadn't shown up. Despite his size and age, he seemed to portray an adult persona.

He lifted his head and began to stare at me defiantly. If it wasn't for the dirt and filth, he would have been a handsome child. His hair was a dark chocolate brown color. His skin seemed a little to pale, like he hadn't seen the sun in a long time. While his body looked underfed, it appeared sturdy and graceful. His most noticeable feature was his gold colored eyes. They were piercing and fierce and certainly a feature that women would swoon over.

I crouched down while chewing on my pipe. "Why did you come here, young one?"

He blinked and inclining his head, not in fear, but in amusement, "To...to request to live here..."

I blinked and ignored the muttering of the guards. I made a "back up" motion with my hands and the guards backed up without hesitation. The boy looked at them with disgust and stood up and that is when I saw it. There was a quick flash of bright red amongst the pale flesh. It was a splash of red that resembled a large drop of blood encased in a golden sun. There were dramatic cones outlying the edges of the circle, eight in number and symmetrical in placement. The symbol on the outside was ebony colored, symmetrical and curved into a graceful 'U' shape that then sharpened down. At the bottom of this shape was two points that stuck out like thorns. I recognized it immediately and stared in shock for a few moments.

His eyes followed mine, which rest the mark on his right forearm. He narrowed his eyes as I nodded thoughtfully. "Chitsuki."

His eyes widened. Only he and I recognized the significance of the phrase. It was the mark (the outer part in any case) of an obscure and less known village hidden on the borders of the Village of Life and Death. The devout village had its own secretive rituals and religion. The details had always been obscured and vague. I had only heard tidbits here and there, but I did know that the Village had their own shinobi. The Chitsuki Clan was the only clan of the Village and the group was split into two different categories: those with Life capabilities and those with Death capabilities.

Their Kekkai Genkai was known as the Blood Moon and it gave the user the ability to sense the flow of blood throughout the body. It was said that only the strongest members of the clan could use the blood flow to their advantage. They could change, stop and manipulate blood flow and therefore control enemies' bodies. They could increase their abilities by decreasing their opponents and cease the flow of blood in their opponents' bodies. I once heard an ancient legend that masters of this style could control others by sheer force of will.

It was odd that such a child would appear here because the Clan was very secretive, far more than any other Shinobi Village. The Clan was downright tyrannical and extremely powerful if the rumors were true. The family could easily rival some of the strongest and more influential families within the Village Hidden in the Leaves. To think that the boy was a member of those people, that clan and village and had somehow managed to make it all the way here without being hunted and killed was a miracle. He must have really wanted to be free and from the look of him the trip had obviously not been a nice one. He looked ready to drop any second.

One of the guards moved forward to grab the boy, oblivious to the fact that it was definietely the wrong moment to try such a feat. The child twisted around quickly, held his hands in a pointed but elegant manner and yelled, "Chitsuki!"

Like the Byakugan, his eyes changed but instead of his veins protruding from the skin around his eyes there was a heavy cracking around them as if they were completely devoid of moisture. His eye went black and his irises ruby red with veins of the same hue shooting out in every direction. His hands were poised almost like those who use the Gentle Fish style. His fingers were crowded together as if ready to grab hold of something. One hand was pointed forward above the line of his shoulder. The other hand wad faced upwards and laid at his side.

The pose was held only for a moment before his hands moved quickly to strike. His hands moved in precise movements, but before he could strike the guard he was nabbed from behind. He kicked and squirmed as he shot off several obscenities that had the guards blushing in embarrassment and had me feeling amused.

The guard who had nabbed him was now holding his pale and almost lifeless arm. He had lost all feeling in the appendage and was now unable to move it.

The boy looked up at me defiantly as I spoke, "And what dear boy, is your name?"

"Kin."

I nodded and questioned him a little bit further, "Not going to add your surname?"

He shook his head, "Not anymore. I don't want it."

I chuckled, "And why did you choose this village above any other?"

He jutted his chin forward as he explained, "Konoha is a proud and noble village, strong but willing to care for others. I want to be proud of the place I call home, sir."

I stroked my chin. "Interesting words for one so young. Your land has had quite the teachers."

He said nothing, but the look on his face spoke multitudes. I shrugged, "I have no problem with it odd as that sounds."

I casually ignored the stifled protests from the guards, "You will be an interesting addition, if allowed. I cannot make this decision alone. You will have to stand before the Elders. I am sure they will have something to say. They always do. I make no promises, but let us see."

Kin looked startled and grateful. His face softened in his expression and his eyes resumed to their normal appearance. For a moment, I saw the young man he would grow to be. I nodded to the boy and he followed me into the village. The curious villagers stopped to gawk at the dirty boy who followed their Hokage around. It wasn't long when they figured out he was an outsider. It was quite obvious. As I had predicted, the Elders had plenty to say. They argued and debated amongst themselves and me―when I allowed it. I made my point loud and clear. No five year old could manage to do any real damage to the village and he capabilities would be an asset in the future. At least here, they could monitor his progress. The terms were agreed upon and he was granted a probation cased citizenship to the village, which was a rarity.

He was given a small cottage on the outskirts of the village, base needs for furnishings and a stipend for foodstuffs. He was also trained to enter the academy. The matter of who would watch over him and make sure all was taken care came easier than I had expected. It was Hatake Kakashi that came forward when the Jonin's were addressed with the matter, surprising even myself. The Elders and I held no objection, and the matter was settled. Even Kin was taken by the idea. The two of them had a sense of respect for each other and were both equally curious of one another as well.

My curiosity for him grew daily and I kept an avid watch over him, almost as much as another outcast within the village, Uzumaki Naruto. After joining the academy, Kin excelled exceedingly well. He conquered one subject after another and won over every instructor. With each accomplishment, he opened up more and more. The villagers acted typically. They did not want to accept and outsider and were unnerved by the speed of which he excelled. He bore a resemblance to Naruto and was not bothered by their scorn. No would could remain completely untouched by the negatively of the villagers, but he continued to act like it didn't bother him. He took the opposite path of Naruto and was more serious about his work. At the age of nine, he graduated from the academy.

His jutus developed rapidly and he took it upon himself to learn new skills. None of the villagers knew the jutsu that his clan held. The Hyuuga clan warmed up to him, which wasn't surprising due to their similar fighting styles. He could often be found near the clan and was able to learn and mold their styles to his own.

I took a bit of private pride in watching him grow. Not only did the Hyuuga Clan, but also my Master Gai taught him. He flourished well under both teachers, but decided to wait a couple years before taking the Chunin exam. By this time his Ninjutsu was coming along wonderfully and he had a strong passion for Taijutsu as well, something that was perfected by his training with Gai. However, he had no patience for Genjutsu. The year he turned eleven, he entered and passed the Chunin exams. Naruto and his class were still a couple years away from graduating at this point.

During the exam, he took on the leadership role quite well. His final match was an amazing feat. He faced a Sand nin who utilized heat and sheer power in his form. Kin's eyes remained steady and sharp. He watched every attack and defense wit ha piercing and analytical stare. He seemed almost cold as he evaded and dodged the attacks gracefully. He seemed a bit smug when he beat the other man and was not concerned about his opponent's serious condition. I sat back and wondering if his clan's darker nature had somehow affected him. My thoughts were erased when I watched him dive into his teammates arms. I smiled at this display of emotion. It seemed like his heart was still intact.

Kakashi for all of his shortcomings kept up his vigil with the boy. Kin proved time after time that he could take care of himself. Kin requested to have his misson earnings to replace his stipend. I was hesitant, but Kakashi spoke up on his behalf. A title without the responsibility is hollow. Kin needed the advantages of his title of Chunin and that meant taking on the responsibility of paying for his bills himself.

Kin never seemed to lose sight of himself, despite his radical progress. He became apart of the village, despite the fact that he was quite different than his peeres. He seemed to show an Iruka esque patience (and perhaps even fondness) of Naruto, despite the fact that he was the target of a few of his pranks. Hinata had taken a strong shine to him and more surprisingly, so did Neji. Neji was less found of the bond between Hinata and Kin. Neji respected his skill and intellect and Hinata appreciated his kindness.

He was known as a genius and was praised for his skills. His good looks were starting to show through due to manhood setting in and the females of the village seemed to flock to him. His status as an outsider made him seem exotic and more attractive to the girls.

Interestingly, he seemed to avoid the sole remaining Uchiha. They had an unspoken animosity between them. He was deeply attached to a Kunoichi from his year, Rai. She was greatly skilled in Genjutsu and Ninjutsu and specialized in a unique mixture of both abilities. I, myself, had taken a shine to him. Mind you it was a private one, and he was considerably younger than myself.

I suppose it has to do with the fact that I stuck by him long enough throughout his time here, and he hasn't yet proved me wrong. He fulfills his missions that he is given with fervor and enthusiasm, but manages to keep himself calm and collected. He is only relazed when he is in the village. I hear he is quite focused and a bit cool when on a mission. I petitioned recently for his probationary status to be taken off. The Elders were still considering the proposition.

Although typically he is seen in the company of either Hinata, Neji or possibly even Naruto (thank Kami he has finally made it somewhere, so he can do something productive with all that energy), he almost hangs out with the youngest member of the Inuzuka clan. They seemed to be in each other's company quite often, but usually in a group setting.

Today, I passed them and I smiled at the almost conspiratorial look on Kin and Kiba's face, something familiar on the latter's, though new and a bit unnerving looking on the former. Mischief might be contagious I suppose, he looks up at me, smiles and waves and I nod with a chuckle.

Something has softened me a bit and I'm becoming attached to this new group more than any other, other than my own team who would grow to be the great Sannin. Every year a new batch of Shinobi comes along and steps up for the village that I love. It was as impersonal as you can get while still being attached to them for the sheer fact that they lived and breathed, and worked within this place. Maybe it is the knowledge that I am nearing my last leg, that makes me more whimsical. This might be he last generation that I might watch grow, or at least the last I may be the Hokage for. There is plenty of promise in all of them and who knows, maybe one day one of them just might take my place.

I puff a bit more on the pipe between my lips and sit down to watch the local children play. Even with unsettling winds that are a mixture of intuition and disturbing random reports that threaten in the dark to disrupt everything in this village, I think I'll just sit here and enjoy the view for a bit. I'm an old man. I deserve at least five minutes of that.

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